From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Wed Sep 24 2008 - 12:05:28 EDT
Page last updated at 13:40 GMT, Wednesday, 24 September 2008 14:40 UK
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AU peacekeepers mired in Somalia
After African Union (AU) peacekeeping troops came under attack in Somalia
for a third day running the BBC's Mark Doyle, who has recently travelled to
the country, reports on the worsening political and humanitarian crisis
there.
A spokesman for the peacekeepers, Ugandan army Maj Bahoku Barigye, said the
AU soldiers were attacked at the strategically important 'K4' roundabout - a
central junction in the capital, Mogadishu, situated 4km from the sea port.
"There was a skirmish, which we repulsed," Maj Barigye said.
"This was the third day in a row that we were attacked at K4. We didn't
suffer any casualties."
The peacekeepers are stuck in the middle of the belligerents with a
questionable mandate and insufficient troops
On Monday, the airport, which is the Ugandans' main military base, was also
hit.
Maj Bariye denied reports that military "tanks" had been used to repulse
these attacks.
"But we had to use the Mambas to defend ourselves," he said, referring to
the South African-built armoured cars, mounted with machine guns, that the
peacekeepers use to patrol parts of Mogadishu.
It is believed to be the first time in many months that the big guns on the
Ugandans' armoured cars have been used in action.
This may be an indication that the scale of attacks against the peacekeepers
is increasing.
'Failed state'
The African peacekeepers - mainly from Uganda, with a contingent from
Burundi now beginning to deploy - were first sent to Mogadishu 18 months ago
to try to help rebuild government institutions shattered by nearly two
decades of civil war and to pave the way for peace talks.
The UN says more than three million Somalis are in acute need of aid
But armed Islamist and nationalist insurgents say the Ugandans are
protecting Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf, a leader they oppose.
The peacekeepers' mandate does include bodyguard services for President
Yusuf - although they say they are protecting the presidency as an
institution, in order to help rebuild a "failed state".
They insist that they would also protect anyone else who wants to work
towards peace.
The main war in Somalia is currently between troops loyal to Mr Yusuf,
backed by the army of neighbouring Ethiopia, and insurgents who are furious
at the Ethiopian role in their country.
Ethiopia is Somalia's traditional enemy. The two countries have fought
several proxy or direct wars.
There have been numerous credible reports of the Ethiopians firing
"indiscriminately" at areas where civilians live, following attacks on them
by the insurgents.
Catch 22
The insurgents also see the hand of the United States behind the Ethiopians.
The US maintains a military base in Somalia's neighbour Djibouti.
Civilians are bearing the brunt of the violence in the capital
The Americans have on several occasions in the past two years fired
long-range missiles into Somalia to assassinate Islamist leaders they say
are associated with al-Qaeda.
This US activity, and the role of the Ethiopians, inflames passions among
ordinary Somalis.
The Ugandans insist they are neutral in the war. But the bodyguard duties
they perform for the Somali president put them in an extremely difficult,
not to say impossible, position.
African leaders sent the AU troops in, with United Nations approval.
The idea was that the peacekeepers should stabilise the situation ahead of
tentative peace talks, which are currently taking place in Djibouti.
But while the Somali government is talking to some opposition leaders (in a
process organised by UN peace envoy Ahmadou Ould Abdallah) radical Islamists
and nationalists have rejected these moves until there is a clear timetable
for an Ethiopian withdrawal.
Here the peace talks come up against one of the several "Catch 22s".
That is that the Ethiopians say they cannot withdraw until a credible
peacekeeping force can secure their volatile border with Somalia.
Stuck in the middle
But the AU troops are too thinly deployed to impose a military solution.
There are only 2,500 of them when the original plan was to send 8,000, and
even that number would be insufficient in the current situation.
There has been some talk at UN headquarters in New York of a blue-helmet
force to replace the AU, allowing the Ethiopians to withdraw and for peace
talks to proceed.
But the talk of a UN force will remain just talk while there are no
volunteers to supply troops to it - and while the insurgents continue their
attacks.
Meanwhile, the peacekeepers are stuck in the middle of the belligerents with
a questionable mandate and insufficient troops.
And ordinary Somalis, as usual, are dying in huge numbers from hunger and
conflict.
Most of Somalia is now insecure.
The government, with Ethiopian support, holds pockets of land in the capital
and near the Ethiopian border.
Most of the rest of south and central Somalia is subject to near-constant
conflict or held by the insurgents.
The UN says more than three million Somalis are in acute need of aid.
Their requirements include shelter - for those who have fled their homes in
the ruined capital and elsewhere - medical care and, simply, food.
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